Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın highlighted the importance of diplomacy to resolve tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Turkey, a NATO member, has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Kalın said in an interview with Turkish news channel A Haber.

"As such, the role Turkey continues to play to de-escalate the tensions is very special," he said.

Kalın argued that Moscow's latest move primarily shows its intention to re-bargain its role in the new world order with the United States and NATO rather than occupying Ukraine. Russia recently massed over 100,000 troops near Ukraine, prompting fears that the Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against its former Soviet neighbor.

Moscow has denied that it is preparing to invade and said its troops are there for exercises.

The Kremlin also issued a list of security demands from the West, including a rollback of troop deployments to some ex-Soviet states and guarantees that Ukraine and Georgia will not join NATO.

Answering a question on the recent thaw in Turkish-Israeli relations, Kalın asserted that a new era has begun in bilateral relations after former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's era of 15 years in power came to an end.

"We see that the new Israeli government brings together various factions, including Palestinians, is showing a constructive approach toward Turkey," Kalın said, adding Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Turkey, which is expected to take place in March, would have a positive impact on Turkish-Israeli relations and for Palestinians.

On Feb. 3, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the Israeli president's visit to Turkey in mid-March.

Turkey has been closely following the developments and is in close contact with both Kyiv and Moscow. Erdoğan had said Turkey could mediate between the neighbors amid the increasing tensions in the region and recently announced a visit to Ukraine on Feb. 3 to help defuse tensions; likewise, Putin said he would visit Turkey upon Erdoğan’s invitation when the pandemic situation and schedules allow.

While Turkey has friendly ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, it opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya, as well as its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Kyiv has also bought Turkish drones to possibly use against Russian-backed forces in eastern Ukraine, angering Moscow, and agreed with Ankara to manufacture the drones locally this year.

Since 2014, Russia has been supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, a policy it has maintained for the past eight years.

In response to Russia's actions, NATO enhanced its presence in the eastern bloc, with four multinational battalion-size battle groups deployed to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland on a rotational basis.